Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Practice Practical prescribing

Statins

BMJ 2024; 384 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-072584 (Published 24 January 2024) Cite this as: BMJ 2024;384:e072584

Rapid Response:

Re: Statins

Dear Editor,
Too often, doctors are turning to drug therapy, such as statins, to treat dyslipidaemia rather than treat the root cause, which is often insulin resistance that is secondary to excess sugar and refined carbohydrate consumption. The focus should be on treating the cause of the disease not just the symptoms.
Furthermore, the NNT is so large that the effectiveness of statins is often exaggerated, especially by those doctors who have links to the pharmaceutical industry.
Statins cause Insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes being at the extreme end of the spectrum of insulin resistance. This is a serious issue which is often underplayed. Insulin resistance is the root cause of metabolic syndrome - so this side effect of statins is serious.
Many are sceptical of statins. To give credibility to industry-sponsored trials, the raw data needs to be published and independently verified to ascertain whether there is any bias in the studies. Only through complete openness and transparency can we assess the effectiveness and side effects of these drugs.

Competing interests: No competing interests

03 February 2024
Sukhbinder Singh
Consultant anaesthetist
Sutton Coldfield